Blogcritics: Comments on Revisiting Two Comedies (Clockwise, Hannah and Her Sisters)

Comment by Chris Kent

Thu, 6 May 2004 07:39:53 EDT

Those are great quotes Dude, the final one being one of my all-time favorites. David, I have always loved Radio Days, and it would definitely be in my top-10 of Allen films. I also have a soft spot for Purple Rose of Cairo, Manhattan Murder Mystery and my own dark horse Broadway Danny Rose. Have never enjoyed Allen's forays into Bergmanesque drama (Interiors), and feel he is most at home in comedy/drama. Have always wondered if the scandal damaged Allen's career as much as his evidently obsessive prolific nature. Few modern directors have made as many films as Allen, and these days one wonders if he has another great masterpiece left in him....

Comment by David Mazzotta

Wed, 5 May 2004 22:50:08 EDT

Chris - answered your own question. Annie Hall is indeed a document of its time. I really don't think you can look at it fairly outside the context of nostalgia. Not so with Hannah. That, for me, is indicative that it hasn't aged as well. Fine film, but I wouldn't enjoy it as much without remebering the time when I first saw it. BTW, I think we'd have the same top four, just in a slightly different order. (Alhtough my sentimental dark horse would be Radio Days and my evil twin likes Deconstructing Harry.)

Comment by The Dude

Wed, 5 May 2004 18:06:04 EDT

My 2�s: Woody Allen films have some of the best quotes in American cinema. Just from "Hannan and Her Sisters" alone: "Nietzsche ... said that the life we lived we're gonna live over again the exact same way for eternity. Great, that means I'll have to sit through the Ice Capades again." "You missed a very dull TV show on Auschwitz. More gruesome film clips, and more puzzled intellectuals declaring their mystification over the systematic murder of millions. The reason they can never answer the question 'How could it possibly happen?' is that it's the wrong question. Given what people are, the question is 'Why doesn't it happen more often?' " "But the worst are the tele-evangelists ... If Jesus came back and saw what's going on in His name, He'd never stop throwing up." "I had a great evening; it was like the Nuremberg trials."

Comment by Chris Kent

Wed, 5 May 2004 16:12:44 EDT

David, I suppose we could argue until we were blue in the face about the merits of Woody Allen's work. I think Hannah and Her Sisters ranks third on the Allen list, with Manhattan and Annie Hall somewhat ahead, Husbands and Lovers a close fourth. Hannah is his most accessible film, and is probably the fave of non-Allen fans.....nice holiday touches, a syrupy happy ending, lovely music, brilliant cast, Woody grimacing at a punk concert......I have never seen a Woody film I entirely disliked, scandal and all. I have never entirely understood the term of "aging well" in reference to films. Films are a document of their time, so how can they age poorly? Annie Hall is a document of its time (1960s, 1970s) and is a perfect examination of life and love during that memorable era. We could argue Hannah as being Woody's most mature film, but Annie Hall was the first, and Manhattan the most bold.......If I'm going to a desert island, I'm taking Annie Hall......if I'm on my death bed, I suppose I'll watch Hannah.....